


I Am A Rock

by DigitalThespian



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bonding over music, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, No Dialogue, Songfic, almost there's actually one line but shh, i think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-05 14:39:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18830716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DigitalThespian/pseuds/DigitalThespian
Summary: Catra refuses to make the same mistake twice.Glimmer tries to convince Catra to let her into her heart.Adora doesn't understand why Glimmer is always distracted.





	I Am A Rock

**Author's Note:**

> The title is a song by Simon and Garfunkel, and the three lyric sections are all from a band called The Altogether, from the album "When We Were Kids". The first and last are from "Forever Endeavor", and the middle one is from "This Manhattan Man".
> 
> https://thealtogether.bandcamp.com/album/when-we-were-kids-ep  
> Note: I'm not affiliated with them in any way, I just wanted to make it easy to find the songs.

Catra didn't let people get close anymore.

 

_You wanna come hang out with us?_

_Not interested._

 

_Hey, Catra! We're getting drinks after work, you in?_

_Pass._

 

She knows how the story always goes. As soon as she lets someone in..

 

_I think we should see other people._

 

_I'm leaving you._

 

_Sorry, you're just.. too moody. It's just not fun to be around._

 

She knows better than to let people in.

She has her music to protect her. What does she need people for?

If she had never loved, she never would have cried.

 

* * *

 

Glimmer doesn't understand why Catra holds her at a distance. She tries to be nice, but Catra always closes herself off.

 

_Do you want to see a movie? That new action movie just came out._

_Pass._

 

_Hey, I saved you a seat, if you want._

_Thanks, but I'm good. I'm going back to my apartment._

 

_My job is having a party at the bowling alley, and I get a plus one. Wanna come along?_

_Too many people._

 

She doesn't know what she's doing wrong.

She just wants to be there for her.

 

* * *

 

Catra doesn't understand.

Glimmer keeps hanging around, trying to talk to her.

Why is she still trying?

 

_Hey, is this seat taken?_

_No._

_Can I sit here?_

_I'm not your mom, do what you want._

 

_You wanna go check out that new record shop on third street?_

_I've been. It's nothing special._

 

Now, Glimmer's trying to learn to play guitar.

And she's always practicing somewhere Catra could see.

Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is an enemy action.

 

* * *

 

Glimmer has run out of ideas. Catra's only love is music, she was _sure_ she could get through..

 

Now she has a cheap guitar she doesn't know what to do with. She supposes she may as well keep learning anyway.

 

It _is_ kinda fun.

 

* * *

 

Catra sees Glimmer less often, but she's still practicing, and she's.. actually decent, now.

Catra wonders if maybe they could play together if Glimmer sticks with it.

 

Who is she kidding.

She knows how that would end.

 

_I just feel like you care more about your music than you do about me._

_Are you seriously going to make me choose?_

_I'm just saying that you could stand to be-_

_Fine. If that's how this is gonna be, there's the door._

 

* * *

 

Glimmer has gotten pretty good by now, nearly a year later.

She still tries to talk to Catra, but she's mostly given up hope.

She's taken to playing in the park at night; the summer heat is less oppressive, and she loses herself to her music.

There's something peaceful about having only the stars as her audience.

 

Still, she can't help but think that it would be better if Catra were there.

 

* * *

 

Catra's gut twists as she watches Glimmer and Adora laugh together.

 

_We should see other people._

_I'm leaving you._

_You're too moody._

_You love music more than me._

 

She turns away before she can do something she'll regret.

 

* * *

 

Glimmer sits on a garden wall by the fountain in the center of town with her guitar. She's finally gotten around to getting a decent one, and she strums quietly, idly.

 

So why is she so lonely?

 

Adora arrives with a picnic basket, and Glimmer shakes the feeling from her head.

She stands with a smile, and links her arm with Adora's.

 

* * *

 

Catra sits at her window, staring out at the street. The rain beats out an irregular rhythm against the glass, and the rush of water down the street is nearly audible even from inside.

She plucks a few chords, but nothing seems right.

 

For the first time in a long time, she can't find the notes to express herself.

 

She looks back at the street, only to see a familiar figure running through the rain, attempting to shield a guitar case from the downpour.

 

Catra just _knows_ she's going to regret this.

 

* * *

 

Glimmer's head whips around to see Catra standing expectantly in an open door.

She runs over and stops just inside the doorway. She realizes her path took her by Catra's apartment without thinking about it.

 

Catra just scoffs and turns away as Glimmer comes in, walking back to her couch and picking her guitar back up.

 

Glimmer's grin fades, and she sighs softly to herself. She sits by the door and takes out her own guitar.

She starts to strum a few notes, and sings quietly to herself. She gains confidence as she goes, and soon she's singing the last few lines aloud.

 

" _And I'll share this forever endeavor with you,_

_Never expecting what's bound to come true,_

_It's always the mystery I've come to see,_

_That brings out the best in the you and the me, the me."_

 

Glimmer stops, and looks outside. The rain has stopped for now, and Glimmer puts away her guitar.

She goes to leave, an apology on her lips, and she closes the door behind her.

 

Maybe someday Catra will ask her to stay.

 

* * *

 

Catra can't get the song Glimmer played out of her head, can't stop thinking about the way her voice echoed off the walls of the studio apartment, mingling with the sound of the rain and her guitar to create something that Catra would never forget as long as she lived.

 

Catra hates herself for it. She hates that she has these feelings, that in a moment of weakness she let herself feel, dooming herself again.

 

_We should see other people._

_You're too moody._

 

Now all she can do is wait for the inevitable heartbreak.

 

* * *

 

Glimmer pokes at her food listlessly, unable to tear her mind away from the heartbreaking expression on Catra's face that day. She only saw for a moment, but Glimmer can't shake the feeling of loneliness that she saw in her eyes.

 

She looks over to see Adora looking at her with a concerned expression, so she shakes her head and smiles.

 

She goes back to her food, Catra's eyes lingering in her mind.

 

* * *

 

Catra sits on the garden wall she knows Glimmer likes to visit, tunelessly plucking at the strings on her guitar.

 

She feels her heart clench as she hears Adora's voice over Glimmer's laughter.

She should have known better anyway.

 

She leaves before Glimmer can find her.

 

* * *

 

Glimmer could swear she saw Catra walking away a moment ago. She realizes Adora asked her a question. She shakes her head and apologizes, saying that they would have to hang out another time.

 

Adora asks if it was something she did.

 

Glimmer looks down and shakes her head.

She gives Adora a brief hug, then leaves.

 

* * *

 

Catra stares out the window, watching the streetlights reflecting off Glimmer's hair. She was ambling down the street, her guitar on her back, despite it being far past when most people had gone to bed.

 

Catra watches for a few moments longer before realizing that Glimmer is singing to herself, or at least quietly enough that Catra couldn't hear it.

She cracks the window, hoping the wind would blow the song her way. She feels a weight settle in her stomach as the sound of Glimmer's voice drifts inside.

 

" _But you must not forget,_

_The source of most regret,_

_Is the chances you never chose to take,_

_What better place to make mistakes,_

_Than an island already filled with heartbreaks?"_

 

Catra runs out the door.

 

* * *

 

Glimmer looks up to the sound of a door shutting, the sound echoing through the street. She sees Catra standing outside, and belatedly realizes she's walked past her apartment again.

 

Her brows furrow as she tries to figure out why Catra would be outside at this hour. She herself had come out to try and sort out her feelings, and the dull ache in her chest only intensifies at Catra's sudden appearance.

 

Catra turns and looks directly at her, then starts to walk over. Glimmer's heart leaps into her throat, and she worries Catra is going to think she's stalking her or something.

 

Catra stops in front of her, and the two simply stare into each other's eyes for a moment. Glimmer shifts nervously, and starts to apologize, but she gets cut off.

 

"Will you teach me that song you played that day?"

 

Glimmer stares, her eyes wide, and her heart pounding.

She nods quickly, and Catra turns to go back to her apartment.

 

Glimmer deflates slightly, and turns back to continue on her way, but stops when she sees Catra look back at her questioningly.

 

She rushes after Catra without a second thought.

 

* * *

 

Catra sits in her living room, watching Glimmer put up Halloween decorations with a spring in her step and a song in her smile.

Catra plays softly along to the tune, and smiles.

 

" _We won't be here long I know that's true,_

_But I'll make this moment forever with you,_

_We won't say goodbye, no, not tonight, oh,_

_Tonight, o-oh, tonight."_

 

Maybe love can be worth it after all.


End file.
